Is OASIS really hard to figure out?

[lsvalliant]

I have been doing HH visits for about a year now through an agency that staffs local HH companies when their short. I've never done an admission, but I've looked at the paperwork for OASIS. The most difficult part seems to be knowing the codes for certain diagnoses, etc. Is there a reference for this? Is there anything else about charting an admission that I should know, because I am probably going to be thrown to the wolves without any training here pretty soon.

[Isabelle49]

Most companies now have coders that do the coding. There is a reference book for this and it is a monster! Prioritize your diagnoses in terms of severity as relates to the patient's condition discuss with case manger and they should be able to provide codes. Best of Luck.

[KateRN1]

Yes, OASIS is very hard to figure out. Clinicians who have been doing it for years have difficulty with answering the questions correctly. There is much more to each question than what is written in the OASIS question, especially the ADLs. For example, how many people understand that part of M1850 Transferring, involves the patient's ability to move from a *supine* position, to a seated position at side of bed, and then transfer to another seating surface? Or that verbal cuing as a form of human assistance, even if the assistant does not touch the patient being assessed? And the guidance is tedious, sometimes less guidance than not reading it at all, and the quarterly Q&As are the most current guidance, nevermind what is published in the guidance manual.

Your best bet is to attend an OASIS Answers seminar where they go through each OASIS item and describe the intent of the question, the rationale for specific answers, and how to correctly score items. If you can't attend one of those seminars, find out if someone else in your agency (preferably your staff educator) has attended and been certified as an OASIS specialist. Third is to consume the OASIS-C guidance manual found on the CMS website as well as the Q&As published by OASIS Answers. Really, everyone responsible for completing OASIS assessments should be doing that last part on a regular basis.

[lsvalliant]

Thank you for your replies. I really would like to attend one of those seminars before I have to start doing admits. What is the best way to find one?

[KateRN1]

Your state's home health association or http://www.oasiscertificate.org

[lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN]

I actually found OASIS to be pretty easy to learn. I came from a nursing home job, where I had to learn the MDS nonsense, and it's pretty similar to OASIS. Ya know, knowing what the question is REALLY asking. It's all a game you have to learn to play.